Newspaper Clippings
by LGCoffeeAddict
Summary: A story told in 30 drabbles. "They were talking. Just talking. Maura stood behind the bar, flashing that smile that so often drew in everyone around her. She flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder and picked up her tray. As she walked out from behind the bar, dark eyes followed her as a starving man's eyes followed a hot meal."
1. Chapter 1

Newspaper Clippings: Behind the Bar

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: So my friend Darling Pretty (fantastic writer for Mary Poppins and former Grey's writer) convinced me to start the 30 drabbles in 30 days challenge as a fun way to get those writing juices flowing for some of my bigger fics. So I present to you, Newspaper Clippings, a collection of drabbles from any 'verse of which I am currently a resident. As a result, they'll all be separately posted, but if you like this you should keep me in mind for later reading pleasure. Okay enough pimping. Enjoy!**

Long, black hair fell in waves down to the middle of her back. Shorter layers framed an olive-skinned face with dark eyes and a bright smile. She was taller than Maura, despite the doctor's three-inch heels.

They were talking. Just talking. Maura stood behind the bar, flashing that smile that so often drew in everyone around her. She flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder and picked up her tray. As she walked out from behind the bar, dark eyes followed her as a starving man's eyes followed a hot meal.

"So how did you do it?"

Jane's focus snapped back to the face of the woman sitting across from her. How she even let herself be distracted…"Um…"

"Can I get anything else for you ladies?" Maura's voice sounded right next to her ear. Grateful for the opportunity to evade the awkward coming-out question, Jane looked in the direction of her voice.

All she saw for a second was Maura's cleavage.

Sure it startled her.

But part of her wanted to cock her head to the side and contemplate the sight.

Jane's brown eyes darted up to the doctor's questioning expression and looked back at her "date."

She tried to go back and focus on the woman currently vying for her attention, but her eyes kept wandering back to the tall woman leaning on the bar talking to Maura.

It bugged her.

It was like an itch in the middle of her back. No matter how hard she stretched, she couldn't reach any sensible explanation for why the woman at the bar bothered her so much.

Calling a woman by the wrong name, Jane was never that careless. She really needed to focus on the case. Not on what was going on at the bar.

Nothing was going on.

And there was no reason for it to bother her.

**A/N: Sorry. I had to. Review please!**


	2. The Fading Twinkle

Newspaper Clippings: The Fading Twinkle

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: This one is based around the word "accusation," so it's not the happiest, but I think it's actually a little realistic. Hope you like it!**

Maura had such a kind face. She rarely ever frowned because there was always something to admire, to appreciate. Her eyes seemed to smile constantly, twinkling with the knowledge of a dozen little-known facts about any given topic, with the excitement of getting to share that knowledge with the people around her. That twinkle was something that was just so uniquely Maura that seeing anything else in those hazel eyes was jarring to say the least.

Now that twinkle was nowhere to be seen, clouded over by hurt and anger as she flashed the closest thing to a glare as she had ever managed. It was that look more than her words that kept Jane from approaching the doctor crouched in front of Patty Doyle, blocking him from Jane the way a lioness blocked her cubs from danger.

Jane's gaze switched to the fallen mob boss behind her best friend, laying there and heaving through the pain of two gunshot wounds and a twenty-foot drop. He turned his head and met her eyes with eyes that were far too reminiscent of Maura's at the moment. There was no anger in his stare, rather a respect for what she'd done to protect someone she loved.

He understood, and it made Jane feel dirty.

She looked back at Maura desperately, pleading for her to talk to her. Patty Doyle's respect wouldn't mean a damn thing if her best friend never forgave her.

**A/N: You could say this was Rizzles, but for me it was more about the moment that friendship got hurt than the possible romanticism of it. I hope you liked it, and I would really love it if you would review. Newspaper Clippings is the first time I've ever written for Rizzoli & Isles, let alone for two women as the romantic center. So if you could please review, I'd really appreciate it!**


	3. A Touch Better Forgotten

Newspaper Clippings: A Touch Better Forgotten

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Based on tonight's episode, so if you haven't seen it yet, don't read it until you have!**

The second Jane stepped back into her apartment, she immediately started stripping.

Maura closed the door behind her and looked on at her friend in worry. "Jane, what are you doing?"

Frenzied hands ripped at her shirt and tried to undo her belt at the same time. "He's...he's all over me," she muttered, her normally husky voice cracking with the leftover tremors from the day's ordeal. She started unzipping one boot. "Get him off of me." A whimper escaped her mouth as she struggled with her boot. "Get him off of me, please. I can't deal...just help me get him off of me, Maura."

Maura didn't even remember crossing the room. All she was aware of was her strong, fearless best friend huddled and shaking in her arms, her tears soaking through her shirt. Every now and then, she heard the same thing, "Get him off me. I still feel him everywhere." Even Hoyt hadn't managed to scare her this badly; Hoyt was predictable in his own terrifying, deadly way. This guy was just...deranged, which made him that much more dangerous. He could have been two seconds from throwing acid in her face.

Slowly, Maura helped Jane peel off her clothes. She stood in her own clothes and thoroughly scrubbed Jane from head to toe, not caring that she would have to throw out her skirt and blouse. She wrapped Jane in a towel and handed her one for her hair, and while her friend was occupied, she ran into the bedroom and changed the bedspread. She'd never be able to look at that comforter again, much less sleep on it.

Later, when Maura laid in the bed next to Jane in borrowed pajamas, she glanced over to the brunette staring catatonically at the ceiling fan. "Jane?" she asked softly.

"I keep looking for a webcam," she admitted, letting out a heavy sigh. "I thought...I thought once Hoyt died, I was done being scared."

Maura rolled onto her side and gave Jane the closest thing possible to a hug in their position. She stayed there, knowing Jane needed to replace the unwanted contact with a safe, unassuming touch. "I did, too, Jane."

**A/N: As much as I loved the episode, I thought the ending was a little rushed. I don't think Jane would be able to walk away from that and be able to laugh right away. I hope you appreciated this, and I really hope you review!**


	4. Pacing

Newspaper Clippings: Pacing

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Based on the word, "restless."**

Maura paced back and forth in agitation, muttering quietly to herself in the solitude of her office as she twirled a lock of blonde hair around her finger.

"You know, someone once told me that fiddling with your hair was a sign of sexual frustration." Maura stopped mid-step at the deep, sardonic statement to see Jane leaning against the doorframe, her wild curls pulled back in a sleek ponytail. Maura rather liked the style. Oddly enough, it made her appear more feminine than when her hair was down.

"Or tangled hair," she shot back, but she took her finger out of her hair and continued her pacing.

Jane pushed off the doorjamb and walked inside, closing the door behind her. "What's with you?"

The doctor didn't really have an answer for her. She just felt...antsy. Like something bad was just waiting for the perfectly ironic moment to just drop into their laps. "I just, I can't stay still for very long today is all," she explained. She didn't want to come off as paranoid.

_But every time you tell yourself you're just being paranoid, something bad happens to Jane_.

A very firm grip on her shoulders stopped Maura from wearing a hole in her newly imported rug. She looked up to see Jane's eyes inches from hers searching her face in concern. "Maura, tell me what's wrong," she said, her voice a little lower, a little more urgent.

Maura could feel the blood rushing in her ears as anxiety started to take over. She reached up and gripped both Jane's hands in a grip just as firm. "Just please don't go anywhere alone for today at least, until I feel better."

Confusion swam in Jane's liquid brown eyes, and she cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Please?" Maura heard herself beg.

Jane tried searching her friend's face for some sort of clue as to what was going on, coming up with nothing. But soon Maura was going to start hyperventilating in that cute but very weird way, so she nodded slowly and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Okay, I promise."

Relief flashed across Maura's face as she sent her a small smile. "Thank you," she whispered.

Jane pulled her into a hug. "It's not a problem." She could find out what was wrong later.

**A/N: No idea where this came from, but I think it's after the kidnapping...It could be before any of the Jane-centric events that have happened thus far, but I think this is post-kidnapping. Somehow, these drabbles are my own little way of drawing Jane and Maura closer inch by inch, so I guess I'll just keep the chronological order thing going. Hope you liked it, and please review!**


	5. Boxing Day

Newspaper Clippings: Boxing Day

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: I just really wanted to drop Maura into Jane's comfort zone, because usually Jane's the one doing what Maura likes. Enjoy!**

"Jane, if we leave now we could make it in time for yoga," Maura insisted, looking with no small amount of uneasiness at the room filled with punching bags hanging from the ceiling.

The detective turned around in her black sports bra and sweatpants with a laugh as she walked to put her stuff down on the bench. "You're not getting out of this, Maura," she declared. "I already suffered through Jorje and your yoga instructor once. Your turn."

Maura pouted at her best friend's bronzed back. It wasn't fair. She wasn't built for boxing. She was made to _bend_, not to punch! All the women in the room looked so tough, every single one of them buff and toned. Jane wasn't the only one in just a sports bra either, although she may have been the one who looked best in one. Some of these women were just _frighteningly _muscular. She picked at her own outfit, her traditional heart-shaped tank with black yoga capris. It was so feminine that everyone could tell from a mile away that she was like a fish out of water.

Jane straightened and turned to see Maura standing still, fingering the hem of her shirt and trying her best not to look intimidated. She leaned over and gave her a light punch to the shoulder. "Hey," she called. "Don't worry about any of them. I'll be the one teaching you. It'll be just us, and they'll just be noise in the background."

"Really?" Some of the tension left Maura's eyes.

Nodding, Jane handed her friend the tape to wrap her hands. "Yeah, some of those women are _scary_."

Maura had no idea how to properly wrap her hands, so Jane stepped in closer to help her. Maura whispered, "Good, I thought they only frightened me."

"Oh, no," Jane denied as quietly, a conspiratorial glint coming to life in her dark eyes. "If I ever have to arrest one of them for murdering someone, I'm bringing _lots_ of backup."

**A/N: Okay, so maybe I just wanted Jane to be in a sports bra again. Don't even care that that was why I wrote this drabble. Please review!**


	6. Wandering Affections

Newspaper Clippings: Wandering Affections

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: So as these drabbles are gradual and in chronological order, things I've hinted at in the last couple of drabbles are finally becoming a little clearer to our favorite doctor. Enjoy!**

Maura was more than happy to accept her yoga instructor's invitation for another date. She let herself get lost in her senses and hormonal responses to the well-proportioned male specimen standing not two inches from her, slowly running his fingers up and down her arms. She let her head loll back when he placed his lips on her neck, just above her carotid artery, and she let out a soft mewl of appreciation when he began to kiss down toward her collarbone.

She accepted it all and relished in the physical pleasure her flexible and balanced yoga instructor was bringing her.

She was maybe even a bit too eager in her affections, as she tried to wipe away the thoughts she'd had while she'd admired her very _female_ best friend earlier in the day. She was possibly a little overly vocal in her efforts to forget the way she'd looked Jane up and down, standing so solidly in her ugly black boots, black slacks, and her scoop-neck navy blue shirt with the tank top underneath. She may have gripped his hair too tightly so that she wouldn't think of brushing back wild raven curls tenderly so she could see that beautifully innocent smile, a smile that still belonged on a happy, healthy toddler rather than a homicide detective who had all the reasons in the world to be surly and damaged and somehow wasn't.

When she screamed at her peak, she made a conscious effort to remember to say _his_ name.

And she began again. And again. Until she was too exhausted to think of anything other than sleep.

**A/N: Did you like it? Did you? Did you? Can you please review and tell me? Please? Please? Please?**


	7. A Nothing Problem

Newspaper Clippings: A Nothing Problem

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Based around the word "nervous." **

A dark eyebrow arched at the fumbling, frazzled doctor rushing around her office. Maura was never frazzled. She never rushed. She was always so perfectly put together. Her hair was _tied up_.

She _never_ tied up her hair unless she was doing an autopsy, and there wasn't a dead body on the floor of her office. It was just Jane, leaning on one leg with her arms crossed beneath her breast, her head tilted to the side as she bemusedly watched the blonde avoid eye-contact and throw items in her purse. Maura had just been jumpy around her lately, and she didn't understand why. What had changed in their relationship? Why was her best friend suddenly wanting nothing to do with her?

A small pout formed on her lips. "How long are you going to avoid looking at me?"

Maura froze, seeming to take a steadying breath before raising her eyes to meet hers with a placating smile plastered on her face. "I'm looking at you," she insisted, before quickly lowering her eyes again.

Jane sighed and walked to the desk, placing her hands on top of the papers Maura was about to grab. "Maura."

"It's nothing, Jane," Maura murmured. "It's a nothing problem, which I'll find a way to get over on my own. I don't need to bother you with it. It's just a stupid thing."

For some reason, those words hurt.

**A/N: Sorry, I'm not at home, so posting these drabbles has been a little more difficult. Hope you still liked it! Please review!**


	8. Coffee Plots

Newspaper Clippings: Coffee Plots

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Based around the word "frustration." I hope you like it!**

Jane leaned back in her desk chair rubbing her hands over her face. She just couldn't focus on anything anymore. All she could think about was the fact that she hadn't really seen Maura in a week. All work-related meetings happened with the utmost professionalism, and it was driving the detective crazy. Maura was avoiding her, and although she'd wracked her brain for what she could have possibly done wrong, nothing pointed as to _why_.

Nothing out of the ordinary had happened a week ago, but for some reason her best friend wouldn't even _look_ at her. It was like she was afraid of what she'd see. Jane looked down at herself. Maybe Maura finally got sick of looking at the hideous but incredibly comfortable black boots that Jane was so fond of? Maybe if she changed into more feminine shoes, Maura would look at her again...

Jane shook her head. Now she was just being silly. Maura wasn't avoiding her because of her _shoes_.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she reached for her cup of coffee, almost spitting it out when she got a mouthful of coffee grinds. She was going to kill Stan one of these days and make it look like a mob hit. She knew how.

A homicide detective plotting murder over a bad cup of coffee. Maura really needed to start talking to her again.

**A/N: La la la, I love frustrated Jane because she rubs her face and gets all wrinkly-foreheaded and it's adorable. I hope you enjoyed this, so please review!**


	9. Dark Desires

Newspaper Clippings: Dark Desires

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Nothing like a good dream to get the plot moving along!  
**

Staring up at the ceiling offered her no reprieve from the flashes of her most recent dream. The darkness did nothing to obscure the images she'd conjured up in her mind of Jane's face inching closer to hers, with her dark eyes clouded over in desire. She tried to ignore the fluttering in her chest remembering the "feeling" of their lips meeting, of her hands settling on Jane's waist and feeling Jane's hands wandering up and down her body.

Taking the pillow from beside her, she buried her face and hugged it to her body. A small whimper escaped her throat as she rocked from side to side. It wasn't the fact that Jane was a woman; she always liked to experiment, and she had always vaguely wondered what it would be like. It was the fact Jane was her best friend. Thinking about nibbling her neck and exploring her body...felt like she was betraying Jane's trust. Saying or doing anything would just push her away.

Besides, Jane was straight. Very straight.

But so was she, supposedly.

And yet she couldn't even _look_ at Jane anymore. What if Jane saw her irises darken, or what if her face belied some hint of want? She couldn't look at her best friend and see the things she'd been imagining caressing. Not that it really mattered, since the images from her dreams were burned into her brain. All she could see when she closed her eyes was curly black hair, a bright smile, abs that made her fingers twitch with the desire to touch them, and hands she longed to feel running along her curves.

She screamed into her pillow.

It didn't help.

**A/N: I enjoy the idea of them dreaming about each other. Hope you liked it! Please review!**


	10. Meddlesome Mothers

Newspaper Clippings: Meddlesome Mothers

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Mama Rizzoli deserves some love.  
**

If Angela Rizzoli was anything, it was determined. Determined to make sure her kids lived happy, full lives. Behind that determination was the biggest dose of stubbornness ever administered to a single human being. After all, her kids had to have gotten their mulish behavior from somewhere, and it certainly wasn't from their father.

As she waved off the customer she just finished serving, her daughter's wild mane of hair came into view, framing that permanently disgruntled face of hers. She made a beeline for the coffee, so naturally Angela followed her. "Good morning, sweetie," she greeted. "Can I make you some pancakes?"

"Not today, Ma." Jane's shoulders slumped while she was waiting for the coffee to dispense into her cup. "I'm not really hungry."

"Jane, you need to eat something, with all that running around you do all day," Angela urged.

"I'll eat something later."

And so the questioning began. "Why is it that both you and Dr. Isles have suddenly lost your appetites?"

Jane's head whipped around to look at her mother. "Maura's not eating?"

"She's eating just about as much as you are lately." Angela made sure to soak each and every word with disapproval. Her daughter put herself in too much danger every day already; going into messy situations on an empty stomach was even more dangerous. And Mama Rizzoli was _not_ happy thinking about that.

Concern laced the detective's brow, but she forced a shrug. "You're going to have to ask her, Ma," she sighed, "because I sure as hell don't know why. She's barely even _looked_ at me in two weeks." Taking a long sip of her coffee, she pointed behind her. "I gotta go, sorry. I'll let you make me pancakes later, okay?" She didn't even give Angela any time to respond before she was in the lobby waiting for the elevator.

Angela watched her get into the elevator cabin, and that spark of dangerous determination glinted in her eyes. Whatever was going on between those two was hurting them both. And she couldn't have her baby girl hurting, and certainly not Maura either, after all the kindness the doctor had shown her.

Two weeks was long enough to try to let those girls sort this out for themselves. Now it was Angela's turn.

Time to meddle.

**A/N: I wanted to write something with the mattress and the lovely tank tops they keep putting Jane in, but I also adore Angela and this one went better with the "storyline" of this drabble series. Please review!  
**


	11. Elevator Doors

Newspaper Clippings: Elevator Doors

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: And they finally have a scene together! It's been an absurd amount of drabbles without them together.  
**

Maura ran a hand through her hair tiredly. Now that she'd dropped off her autopsy report on Frost's desk, all she wanted to think about was a large glass of pinot noir and curling up with _Jane Eyre_ for the fourth time. Her hand froze in still the bottom of hair. Actually, given the name of the protagonist, maybe _The Professor_ would be a safer Charlotte Brontë read.

A yawn cracked her jaw while she waited for the elevator. Okay, maybe just the wine and whatever was on the Discovery Channel.

The light above the elevator brightened, and the doors slid open. Maura stepped inside gratefully. Finally, her day was over.

The doors had almost completely closed when a bronzed hand darted in to reopen them, and Maura quickly averted her eyes to staring at the floor numbers above when the ugly black boot stepped into the cabin. Jane's hair hung from a ponytail, Maura observed from the corner of her eye. The case must have been more frustrating than she'd thought. A few of the curls still made their way over the detective's shoulder, who, upon realizing the doctor was still intending to avoid eye contact, stared blankly at the closing doors.

"Hey." Jane's husky voice was starting to get dangerous, too, if the shivers Maura had to force down were anything to go by.

"Hey," she echoed once she could be sure of her voice.

The doors closed completely, and the small dropping sensation that came with the initial movement of the elevator mimicked the sensation in Maura's stomach. Jane had only said one syllable, but she sounded sad.

"Did I do something?" Jane asked softly, sneaking a glance out of the corner of her eye toward her companion. Her voice carried with it the smallest of cracks, the tiniest bit of insecurity seeping through and finding purchase in Maura's heart.

Maura's stiff features softened as her eyes slid closed. She shook her head slowly. "No, you've done nothing wrong. I'm just sorting out some personal issues that...that I'm not exactly ready to discuss with anyone." She was glad she'd closed her eyes; she knew Jane was probably trying to hide the hurt in her features.

The elevator slowed to a stop to open into the lobby. Jane stepped out and looked back at her best friend, her hand on the door frame. "I miss you." And she turned back around and left the building.

Maura exited the cabin much slower, and just as the doors swung closed behind Jane, she whispered after her.

"I miss you, too."

**A/N: And finally, Jane and Maura have some sort of contact again! Trust me, they won't all be this heavy. Promise. Please review!  
**


	12. Greeting Card

Newspaper Clippings: Greeting Card

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: I feel like if I drag on Maura's turmoil too long, it'll just get repetitive, so moving along. Enjoy!  
**

**A/N2: Also, thanks so much to afret2010 for always taking the time to review these drabbles! (And also thanks so much to the slightly less regular but still multiple reviewers!) Seriously, the fact that anybody reviews these drabbles is a really nice feeling, since this is my first venture into the Rizzoli and Isles fandom.  
**

When Jane approached her desk that morning, a steaming cup of coffee awaited her. A small smile played on her lips on whoever had been thoughtful enough to buy her morning jolt. From the one sugar packet and one creamer sitting beside the cup, along with a wooden stirrer, it was clear the person knew how she liked her coffee. Hurrying to her desk, she quickly mixed the additives into the liquid. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent deeply, cradling the cup in her hands. This _was_ a nice way to begin her Monday.

A glance down at her desk revealed the corner of an envelope sticking out from underneath yesterday's newspaper. As she took her first sip, she reached out and plucked the envelope, seeing her name written in feminine script on the front of it. Curiosity furrowed her brow and tilted her head to the side while she replaced her coffee on the desk and took to opening the envelope.

Inside was a beautiful card, emblazoned with the words, "I miss you," on the front panel. Flipping it open, Jane's Monday morning just improved tenfold.

_Dear Jane,_

_I know I've been distant lately, and I know I've hurt you by not confiding in you. For that, I am truly, _truly_ sorry. I hope you'll forgive me for being such an appalling best friend for the past few weeks. I think I'm ready to tell you what's been going on with me, if you'll hear it. If you haven't completely given up on me, I'll be at the Dirty Robber tonight after work. _

_I have missed you, too, Jane. I don't want you to think I didn't care about the distance, because I was cranky as you wouldn't believe for these past few weeks.  
_

_Love,  
_

_Maura._

Jane closed the card slowly, a relieved smile spreading across her face. Finally, she was going to get her best friend back.

**A/N: Please review!  
**


	13. Drinks

Newspaper Clippings: Drinks

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Holy Rizzoli, I got seven reviews for _one_ drabble. Goodness gracious, thanks everybody!**

The Dirty Robber was busy after work, as always, but a blonde sitting at the bar was all the cue Jane needed to make her way to the stool next to hers. Her heart almost fluttered with the excitement of getting her best friend back. She knew she'd missed her terribly, but knowing it was going to be over in just a few minutes made her almost giddy.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile, placing a hand on Maura's back to announce her presence.

"Hi," Maura responded in surprise. "I didn't think you were coming."

"I'm sorry, I got held up in the case. Korsak brought in a witness at the last minute, and we had to question him," Jane apologized, taking a seat on the stool next to Maura. Their knees bumped into each other every so often.

"Ah." Maura took a long swig from her drink before turning toward the detective. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

Jane did a double-take from ordering her beer, confusion making her forehead wrinkle. "What do you mean? I thought you wanted to tell me why you've been so weird lately."

"What? No, I'm not ready to talk about that yet." A panicked look flashed across Maura's face as much as it reflected in her voice.

That fluttering feeling was gone. "What the hell was with the coffee and the card then, Maura?"

"What coffee? And _you_ wrote _me_ a card!"

Jane stopped herself before she snapped and took a deep breath, which did absolutely nothing to calm her down. She drew the card out from her jacket pocket, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms across her chest. Maura did almost the exact same thing with a card she pulled from her purse. Suddenly, it clicked for Jane. "Ugh, of _course_, my mother decided to get involved." The giddiness had melted away to be replaced by so much disappointment she thought she was going to vomit. Quickly, she picked up the card and shoved it back in her pocket. "Well, if you ever decide to let me back into your life, you know where to find me." She was afraid the end of that sentence sounded a little strangled, but she just needed to get out of there.

"Jane," Maura tried to call after her to no avail. She was already out the door.

**A/N: And you thought I was done with the drama, hahahaha. Sorry, but I hope you'll still review!  
**


	14. A Sabbatical

Newspaper Clippings: A Sabbatical

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: I officially love all you reviewers for not threatening to kill me with that last drabble.**

Jane sat in her car outside the Dirty Robber, her hands trying to tear the steering wheel off its column and her teeth gritting against the small sob that wanted to rip out of her throat. She didn't even really understand why she was reacting so intensely to this. Maura seemed like a stranger now, and it was killing her.

She watched as the doctor walked slowly out of the building, her head bowed toward the keys she was turning over and over in her hands. Her blonde hair fell forward, hiding her face from view, but her chest heaved as one hand went to her face quickly before tucking back her hair. Her cheeks were splotchy, as though she'd been crying. Jane wasn't too far from that state herself, she supposed.

Before she could change her mind, she got out of the car and called out Maura's name. The medical examiner's head whipped around and she hesitated. "Maura, I'm not going to bite," she challenged, strung out on her last nerve. Curiously, Maura stiffened. "Can we please just talk?"

Maura made her way toward Jane's car with the most erect gait the detective had ever seen. "Talk about what?"

Those three words made Jane want to rip her hair out. "I don't even _care_, just _anything_, Maura! Anything except for you acting like I don't even exist when I don't even know what I did to deserve it!"

Glossy eyes stared brokenly back at her. "You wouldn't be comfortable with me if I told you, Jane," she declared in such a defeated tone that Jane stopped short. She didn't say anything. Maybe silence on her part would finally accomplish what direct asking couldn't. "I...I would miss you too much if I did something to drive you away."

"Well, what are you doing right now?" Jane pointed out, spreading her arms wide as if to encompass the entire parking lot.

Maura took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever she was about to say. "Taking a sabbatical so that I would stop thinking about you, and then everything could go back to normal." The answer only created more questions in Jane's eyes, and Maura dropped her gaze. "It didn't work."

A beat of silence preceded Jane's voice. "What do you mean thinking about me?" The other woman continued to stare at her shoes. "Maura."

Finally, Maura stepped forward and slowly raised her head. She didn't rush her movements, giving Jane plenty of time to realize what was going to happen and to pull away. Then the detective felt soft, warm lips brush against hers.

Oh.

**A/N: It's a good thing that I'm doing this challenge, because with my updating habits, I'm notorious for writing a cliffie and leaving it untouched for the better part of a year. So it's a good thing you're pretty much guaranteed to get an update tomorrow night haha. Please review!**


	15. A Little Tingle

Newspaper Clippings: A Little Tingle

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Here you go! Enjoy!**

_I need some time to think about this._

Curled up on her couch with a beer in one hand, Jane touched lightly at her lips with the other. They...tingled seemed to be the word. Her fingers stroked back and forth along her bottom lip in contemplation, as if touching the place where Maura's lips brushed hers would help her figure out what exactly had happened.

Never in a million years had she suspected _that_ was why her best friend had been avoiding her. Maura loved men. She always had. But suddenly she developed feelings for Jane?

Jane took another swig of her beer. As the cool liquid slid down her throat, her eyes closed and remembered the happenings of less than an hour ago.

_The pressure was...pleasant on her lips. There was no movement, just the pressing of one pair of lips against another, but whether Jane was too stunned to move or subconsciously reluctant to was unclear even to herself. When Maura pulled away, biting her bottom lip and fidgeting with the ring on her right hand, Jane just stared at her, her mouth still slightly open. _

She lowered the bottle from her lips, her hand automatically going back to her bottom lip. She wasn't disgusted by it. She still felt the tingling, and so many thoughts swirled around in her head that she had no way to make sense of any of it.

She could make sense of one thing, though-if she lost Maura as a best friend, she'd be crushed. The past three weeks had been proof enough of that.

_She finally managed to say something: "Oh." _

_Maura let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Told you it would make you uncomfortable."_

_"No, no, it's not that," Jane rushed to say. "It's just-It's just big, you know? I need some time to think about this, you know, process it."_

Jane finished off the bottle as quickly as possible and opened another one. She liked men. She really liked how men's lips felt on hers.

But her lips still tingled.

**A/N: I'm trying to be as realistic with this as possible, which is why, although Maura is more open to experimentation, she's afraid of messing with their friendship and thus tries to suppress her feelings. As much as I'd like for Jane to suddenly realize she's incredibly attracted to Maura during the kiss and start making out with her, it wouldn't fit her character. It's a gradual, confusing process, and I wanted to make sure I captured that. Hopefully, I did, but I won't know until you _REVIEW!_**


	16. Between Cases

Newspaper Clippings: Between Cases

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: I'm really sorry if this sucks. Long, frustrating day.**

Maura sat at her desk and stared into space. In her hand was the only pen she ever used on charts because it was just the perfect width for her fingers and the ink flowed smoothly. She was wasting the ink of the only pen she ever used on charts because she couldn't stop clicking it open and closed, randomly drawing squiggles on a post-it note, and twirling it in her fingers. She hated being between cases.

Because she had nothing to _do_.

Nothing to do except think about last night's parking lot...thing. She didn't want to call it a debacle because it could have gone _way_ worse. Jane could have flipped, wiped at her mouth and looked down on her in disgust. Instead, she stood there quietly for a few seconds, said she needed to process it, but _not_ because it made her uncomfortable, just because it was a very large idea to wrap her head around. Maura respected and accepted that.

Now if only Jane could wrap her head around it just a _little_ sooner so she could stop going crazy...

A knock came from the door, and Maura focused her eyes on the curly-haired detective herself, leaning against the doorframe with a small smile. "Can I come in?"

Maura nodded. "Of course."

Jane walked in, choosing to sit in the ridiculously uncomfortable chair Maura was so fond of. Her hands were on her knees, and as she looked at her friend, they started pivoting up and down at the wrist so that she was alternately tapping each knee. Maura watched her take a deep breath and wondered how she could do that when the doctor was finding it hard to breathe at all. "So...um...last night," Jane started.

"If it freaks you out, we can-" Maura tried to take it back at the last second; maybe she was just better off not hearing that Jane didn't feel anything for her.

A hand held in the air froze the words in her throat. "Last night...was big," she continued. "I still don't really know exactly what I'm feeling, but I wanted to make sure you knew that you didn't ruin anything or push me away by telling me how you feel." Maura let out a sigh of relief. At least there was still that. "You're going to have to be patient with me regarding that particular aspect of our relationship. I seriously have no idea how I feel about it, and it's going to take me some time to figure it all out. But as far as our friendship goes, I'm still here for you 100%."_  
_

Ironically, Maura thought as she nodded and smiled at her (thankfully, still) best friend, it was when Jane did things like this that made her feelings grow just a little bit deeper.

**A/N: I know, the gradual thing sucks for readers, but I can't picture it happening fast no matter how hard I try. Besides, I still have 14 more drabbles to write after this, and any possibility for a sequel of you know, _real_ chapters relies on me not messing this up. I hope you still liked it, and please review!**


	17. The Looks

Newspaper Clippings: The Looks

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Okay, 11 reviews for _one_ drabble? I LOVE YOU ALL.**

Every once in a while, Maura would catch Jane staring at her with a considering glint in her liquid brown eyes. She'd look up from the autopsy table, and Jane's head would be cocked slightly to the side with that wondering expression on her face. That contemplative gaze would be present when Jane thought she couldn't see her in the cafe, or in the elevator. She'd absentmindedly bite her lower lip lightly, or she'd run her finger along it when she was thinking about a case.

After the first few times thinking she had just been imagining the looks, that consideration started to make Maura glow inside. Every time she caught her looking, she felt her pulse pick up and a heat suffuse her body. Things had gone back to normal for the most part since their talk in her office. But sometimes there was just that flash of intense scrutiny that Maura felt to her bones.

After another week, Maura found herself sending back looks in kind. They still acted just as they had before-as familiar best friends, and occasional LLBFFs whenever Giovanni was around. But any time Jane sent her one of those _looks_, Maura would quirk an eyebrow, which she often did. Nobody ever saw anything to comment. But Jane did. A reluctant darkness entered her already chocolate eyes whenever Maura did that with her eyebrow. She always stood just a little more erect when their eyes locked for more than a second.

Although Jane never said anything concerning furthering their relationship, those glances, sometimes even heated stares, gave Maura the eager kind of hope that she hadn't felt in years.

**A/N: Hopefully, this is a happier development, and it's what I actually consider a drabble. Whenever I write dialogue, it feels more like a far too short chapter, you know? I really hope you liked this, and I _really_ hope you'll review!**


	18. An Innocent Coffee Run

Newspaper Clippings: An Innocent Coffee Run

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: I just really needed to write this because of reasons.**

The whole trip to the cafe was just supposed to be about getting her morning cup of coffee.

It was just an innocent need for caffeine. That was all.

Until her mother snuck up on her and made her spill hot coffee down her shirt, demanding to know what the hell Giovanni was talking about all the time concerning her and Maura. And then Maura walked into the cafe just as that question left her mother's mouth, just in time to see Jane's shirt plastered to her chest while she started jumping in pain.

As Jane quickly tugged her shirt out of her pants to hold it away from her stomach, Maura made the conversation with Angela twice as awkward when she walked over and insisted Jane take _off_ her shirt.

In the middle of the cafe.

In the middle of the BPD.

_In front of her mother_.

It took remembering the fact that she was wearing an undershirt, and that Maura knew that, to wipe the poleaxed look off Jane's face. So as Maura helped Jane get the lavender shirt over her head without the tank top underneath going with it, Angela continued with her questions. Of course, what followed was an awkwardly mumbled explanation of the LLBFF situation with Giovanni. All while Maura was helping remove her clothes.

Jane's mind just couldn't get over that one fact.

Suddenly the morning wasn't so innocent anymore.

**A/N: This just needed to happen. It just did. I also have a tumblr now! Link is in my profile! Please review! **


	19. Unwelcome Attention

Newspaper Clippings: Unwelcome Attention

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: LA LA LA THIS MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY GUYS.**

Jane was going to shoot someone. All the catcalls and the people who looked for just a little too long. So she was in a tank top, and suddenly that reminded everybody in the precinct that she is, in fact, a _woman_?

She was in a tank top for _ten minutes_. Because her _mother_ had made her spill _coffee_ on herself, and it was the only way to keep from burning the absolute crap out of her stomach! But of _course_, the entire homicide unit decided it would be a good time for coffee. And so they saw the Chief Medical Examiner helping the only female homicide detective in the unit take off her shirt. She was lucky Cavanaugh wasn't there, otherwise she'd probably be in his office right then for a lecture about maintaining a professional environment.

Storming in the ME's office, she closed the door behind her and put her hands on her hips. She now wore a white button-up Maura happened to have stashed in her office. "I am going to _kill_ my mother," she glowered. Maura looked up from her paperwork and chuckled. "It's not funny, Maura. My entire _unit_ saw me in a tank top!"

Now Maura's quiet chuckles became an outright laugh. "It's not like Frost and Korsak haven't seen you in a tank top before, Jane," she pointed out.

"Yeah, Frost and Korsak are one thing," Jane brushed off. "Everybody in Homicide except for Frankie and Cavanaugh is whole other matter altogether!"

"Why, because they're men who realized you're not actually one, too?" Maura quirked an eyebrow. "I'd be flattered."

Jane stepped forward and leaned on her desk. "Their attentions are unwelcome, Maura."

Maura nodded emphatically. "Good, because half of them are married and the other half are far too old for you." She wrinkled her nose at the thought of Jane with one of her fellow detectives. Seriously, Frost was the only acceptable one, but he was too young.

Jane bit her lip, and suddenly her eyes swam with uncertainty. "That's..." she started, before taking a deep breath and starting again, "That's not the only reason their attentions are unwelcome." Her voice came out in a husky whisper.

If Jane was saying what Maura _thought_ she was saying...well she didn't get the chance to find out because they both got called away on a new body. Maura wanted to chew nails for the interruption.

**A/N: REALLY FREAKING HAPPY! REVIEW (and follow me on Tumblr) PLEASE!**


	20. Just a Cough

Newspaper Clippings: Just a Cough

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: I really love awkwardness. It's just delicious.**

The dead body was...odd, to say the least. It was a woman, who had been dressed up in what looked like a catsuit, but half of the suit had been clawed off, as if...

"You think it was a role-play gone wrong?" Frost suggested, looking at the suggestively placed claw marks.

Jane walked around to squat and examine the victim's face before shaking her head. "I don't think this was voluntary. There's bruising on her neck." Frost was called over to talk to the girl's neighbor, leaving Jane alone with the medical examiner and the body.

Maura, who was on the opposite side of the victim, nodded and pointed to the bruising around the mouth. "At the very least, the killer muffled the victim strongly enough to cause bruising." She looked down to the rest of the body. "I won't know until we get her out of this catsuit, but there is a very large chance that those cuts were made post-mortem."

"You thinking necrophilia?" Jane looked up from the victim to the ME.

"I won't know until I do the autopsy," Maura started, meeting the detective's eyes. When their gazes locked, Maura noticed the slightest flush of pink creep up Jane's neck. What _had_ she been about to say? But there was no denying the curiosity and quite possibly desire in her own gaze. Someone coughed, and Maura snapped her eyes back down to the body. "But given the situation, I wouldn't rule out sexual assault at the very least."

Jane rubbed the back of her neck and cleared her throat, standing back up. "Has anybody found any ID?" she called to CSU. When they shook their heads, Jane sighed and looked back down at the blonde. From this angle, with the way the doctor was bent over the body, Jane had quite the view down her shirt. When it dawned on her just what she was doing, she cleared her throat again and averted her eyes.

"You getting a cold, Rizzoli?" Frost asked as he returned to the victim's side, tucking his notepad back into his breast pocket.

Jane missed the small smile that bloomed on Maura's face as she heard the question. She just coughed a little more and looked toward the front door. "Nah, it's just a little cough."

**A/N: Heh heh heh, you probably hate me. I'm sorry I'm not sorry. We'll get there soon enough! But first, follow me on Tumblr and REVIEW!**


	21. The Morgue

Newspaper Clippings: The Morgue

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: More flustered Jane. So cute. I can't. So. Freaking. Cute.**

Maura was just about to remove the victim's stomach when a motion in the window caught her eye. There was Jane, pacing back and forth, each time getting just a little bit closer to the doors to the morgue. Maura felt her lips quirk upward. Jane was twirling her hair around her finger while she chewed the inside of her lip. This time, she paused at the door. She even made as if to grab the handle. And then her hand dropped and she made another go at the pacing. Her eyes now twinkling fondly—Jane really was endearing when she was flustered—Maura dropped her gaze back down to the victim's insides. Jane would walk through those doors when she was ready.

Finally, the doors swung open just as Maura was carrying the stomach over to a nearby table to examine it. She shot a glance over to the entrance and tried to keep the amusement out of her voice when she greeted the detective. "How's it going?"

Jane dropped her hands from her hair and crossed her arms beneath her chests, assuming that solid stance she so favored. "The neighbors are clean, so we are without a suspect right now," she declared. Her teeth kept chewing the inside of her lip every time she looked at the ME. "So do you know if it was a sexual assault or necrophilia?"

Maura raised her gaze to the woman standing across the table from her with a nod. "I found traces of semen and tearing. It seems to have been post-mortem." She continued to watch Jane instead of returning to the stomach, even taking off her latex gloves. Jane, of course, started squirming under the scrutiny.

"So, um, about earlier..." she began. Maura stayed silent, but she couldn't keep the hope from rising into her eyes. "I...uh...well, you know what happened last month, and...well..." Her hands were back in hair again.

It was all the confirmation she needed, though. Deciding to put her out of her misery, Maura reached over and pulled Jane's hands away from her poor tortured curls. "Jane, would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" she asked quietly. Something about the moment, it called for softness.

A minuscule nod came from the detective. It took her a few more moments to get her voice to work properly. "I think I would like that," she finally whispered.

**A/N: You better love me so much right now. I very nearly had Frost barge in with a super important lead on the case _right _around "So, um, about earlier..." But I didn't want to be _too_ mean. So you should be very nice to me and _REVIEW!_**


	22. Preparation

Newspaper Clippings: Preparation

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Okay, in case you can't tell, I really like flustered Jane.**

The numbers on the digital clock on her bedside table changed to read 7:00. Her doorbell was going to ring at 7:30. And Jane was still standing in front of her closet in her robe, completely at a loss of what to wear.

Rubbing her face with her hands, she quickly ran her fingers through her wild curls before once again taking inventory of her closet. She had four dresses. _Four_. And she was pretty sure Maura had seen her in all of them. For once she found herself actually wishing she'd had more of a penchant for shopping and dresses. That would make this a whole lot easier.

The clock now read 7:02. Normally, this whole preparing for a date thing went a whole lot smoother. But _normally_, Maura would be helping her get ready for the date. Now, Maura _was_ the date. How dressy was this going to be? She didn't want to come on too strongly, but she didn't want to seem as if she didn't care. This entire situation took everything in her scant knowledge of dating and relationships and turned it on its head!

_Breathe, Jane_, she told herself. _There's no need to panic. You're not going to an opera. You're having dinner. With Maura. At that Italian place. What was the name of it again?_ She shook her head. The name wasn't important. Okay. Italian. It wasn't going to be anything too fancy, so maybe she was just stressing out too much with the dresses? Surely she had something else to wear. A nice top or something. She turned to the other side of her closet and found herself facing numerous button-downs and scoop-neck plain shirts.

At this rate, Jane would be going on this date in her satin robe and tube socks.

**A/N: Yeah, kind of a fluff piece, but it's a drabble. And it's cute! And and and and and review? Please? Please?**


	23. At the Door

Newspaper Clippings: At the Door

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: And the date begins!**

When the doorbell rang, Jane quickly finished with her mascara and hustled over to the door. Dark, fitted skinny jeans and her one pair of black pumps would be okay, right? Her black shirt was the most feminine shirt she owned, with its low v-neck and white detailing around the neck and the hemline. She felt hideously underdressed. But there was no time to change, not with Maura on the other side of that door.

With one last deep breath and a final smoothing of her hair, she opened the door. "Hi," she greeted, although whether or not Maura heard her was up for debate. She could have sworn she _meant_ to speak at a normal volume instead of the whisper that came.

Maura smiled warmly, standing there in a black pencil skirt and flowery top, her feet in nude peep-toed heels. "Hi," she responded. For all her apparent confidence yesterday, she sounded just as nervous as Jane felt. That helped a little to settle the giant butterflies flying into the walls of her stomach. For a moment, it did, until she saw Maura's eyes take in her appearance. Then they were flying as fiercely as before.

"Am I underdressed?" Jane fingered her shirt. "Should I change? I should change." She made as if to do just that when a hand found purchase on her elbow and a chuckle made its way to her ears.

"Jane, you look beautiful," she reassured her. "Really."

Jane paused, her eyes scanning Maura's face for any hint saying otherwise. But Maura didn't lie. Letting out the air that had trapped itself in her lungs when Maura touched her, she tried to relax. "Thanks." She finally registered what was going through her mind and whispered, "You...you look beautiful, too."

A smile bloomed on Maura's face and leaned forward. "Don't worry, I don't really know how to go in this situation either."

"Good," Jane sighed, finally back at her normal volume. "Because I barely know anything about _straight_ relationships, let alone...whatever we're about to get into."

Nodding ruefully, Maura suggested, "Well, how about we don't think about it? How about we just go to dinner and not think about anything past that?" It might be the only way the magnitude of what they were starting wouldn't make them too scared to try, Jane mused as she nodded.

As they walked to the car, the backs of their hands bumped into each other a few times. Both the homicide detective and the chief medical examiner felt it, the tingles that ran up their arms at the contact, the crazy dances going on in their stomachs. They were both scared beyond reason.

But it was a pleasant kind of scared.

**A/N: Here's the thing. I'm writing in blind territory now, and I'm just writing what I think is realistic for these two characters. I hope you still like it, so PLEASE review!**


	24. Waiting for the Panic

Newspaper Clippings: Waiting for the Panic

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: And the date ends!**

For the first twenty minutes of dinner, the interactions with their waitress were the highlight of their conversation. Every so often, it was stolen glances and fiddling with their napkins, and one of them would open her mouth as if to say something and then think twice and close her mouth once more. For a dreadful period, they both thought that they'd made a terrible mistake, that they possibly threw away their friendship and what if there was nothing there?

But then the food came, and Maura picked up a piece of shrimp from her pasta and spouted an interesting fact about shrimp catching before popping it into her mouth. Jane couldn't stop the small fond sigh that escaped her mouth in response. Then for the rest of the meal, they talked just as they usually would, only this time it was punctuated with shy, unsure glances and light "accidental" brushings of hands or feet. It seemed all they needed to break the ice was to be...normal.

They were still laughing when they walked up to Jane's door, but as the laughter died down...a silence so thick descended that neither doctor nor detective could breathe normally. They locked eyes and they both saw the confusion swimming in each other's eyes.

Maura stepped a little closer and dropped her gaze. "I'm glad we did this, Jane," she admitted softly.

"Me, too," the breathy words were past Jane's lips before she even registered the truth behind them. She kept waiting for the freakout to come, and she felt like she'd been constantly on the verge of one all night. But it never came. Jane felt...light, and a little bit brave. Brave enough to not make Maura have to do all the work. Brave enough to close the gap a little more and to slowly reach for Maura's hand. But with the way her fingers were shaking even as they wrapped around Maura's, Jane knew she wouldn't be brave enough to start anything else.

Maura looked up when she felt the warmth of the detective's fingers intertwining with hers. "This is still a little scary," she confessed as she let out a giant breath. Jane voiced her agreement, but not without a small squeeze of her hand.

They both took another step in. They didn't drop their gazes from each other, nor did they let go of the other's hand. Maura mirrored the deep breath Jane took, and soon their bodies were less than a hair's breadth apart. Maura bit her lower lip as her eyes dropped down to Jane's own slightly parted lips. Deep breath.

This kiss was nothing like the chaste brushing of the lips Maura had used to tell Jane her feelings. The simple touching of two pairs of lips, with the owners of those lips too shocked really to do anything else. This one was...a _kiss_.

This time, when Maura pushed a little upwards to gain some height, Jane leaned forward slightly, and instead of the shocked stiffness, shy lips moved against her own. The butterflies from earlier were back tenfold and Maura closed that hair's breadth between their bodies, the warmth of the detective's body against hers a delightful addition to the nervous excitement the kiss was giving her.

The second Jane felt Maura's body against hers, she felt a second dose of bravery take hold of her. Her hands found their way to Maura's hips, and she applied just a _bit_ more pressure on her lips, tilting her head to the side. Maura's lips were...so soft.

When they parted, they looked at each other through their lashes, neither feeling much like moving from their current position. Both chests rose and fell more than normally, and their breaths mingled when Jane leaned her forehead on Maura's. "I'm still waiting for the freakout to hit me," she whispered. "This is just so surreal."

Maura smiled, complete understanding shining in her eyes. "Yeah, I'm having trouble believing it myself." She shrugged. "I think I like where this is going though."

Once again, the words left Jane's mouth without hesitation, "Me, too."

**A/N: AHHHHHHHHHH this took me so long to write you have no idea. I started this at 10 p.m. It is now 12:31 a.m. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to write a first kiss for a newly realized lesbian couple? _VERY. _So please, PLEASE have mercy on me and REVIEW!**


	25. A Little Spontaneity

Newspaper Clippings: A Little Spontaneity

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: FOURTEEN REVIEWS HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS ARE FANTASTIC I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU NOTHING ABOUT THIS SENTENCE IS GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT AND I REALLY DON'T CARE BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL AWESOME.**

A week later found Maura accepting a glass of wine as she took a seat at Jane's counter. "Why don't we ever go to my place?" she almost whined, this being her third trip since their first date.

"Because my _mother_ lives in your guest house and walks in whenever she wants," Jane provided easily before taking a swig of her beer. When she put down the bottle and picked up her grilled cheese, she shot Maura a quirked eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure if she walked in on us kissing, she'd be more than a little freaked." It was getting easier for her to think about them kissing, enough for her to be able to say it without hesitation. Three nights in her apartment filled with shy, almost innocent attempts to explore each other made that hesitation go away remarkably quickly. Jane felt like a teenager whenever she thought of the last time Maura joined her on her couch, and it always took them a few seconds of, "Wait, did you want to go that way? Because I can go the other way!" before they finally leaned in and savored in the other's lips. The fact that two nights ago was the first time tongue had even _entered_ the equation really did make Jane feel 15.

Maura chuckled into her wine and nodded her head in concession. "That would be a very awkward conversation to have right now."

"Oh, it'll be awkward no matter when that conversation happens," Jane insisted around a bite of grilled cheese.

The dark red wine reflected the touched smile that came to Maura's face, the smile that showed just how happy she was that Jane wasn't intending to hide their relationship if it amounted to anything. Jane didn't even pause over it.

"What are you smiling at?" Jane asked after swallowing her food.

Maura looked up at the woman standing across the counter from her. It had only been a week. Their relationship was still very new, but Jane was already thinking of when she'd tell her mother about them. Jane thought they had a future, and it made Maura so relieved to know that maybe her feelings for Jane didn't completely outweigh Jane's feelings for her. That relief, that happiness lent Maura the strength to stand up and lean over and give Jane their first spontaneous kiss. Their first kiss that didn't have an obvious lead-up or planning which way their heads would go. Their first kiss where their heads went where they were supposed to on their own, where they could feel each other's smiles.

When they parted, Jane's chocolate eyes sparkled and she lightly bit her lip. "What was that for?"

Maura's gaze held nothing but contentment. "I just felt a little spontaneous, I guess."

Jane sent Maura a skeptical look, with her eyes narrowed and her mouth quirked upward in a slanted smile. Maura never _guessed_ about anything.

**A/N: Oh dear, writing them is just getting harder and harder because I seriously am just guessing now. Remember that time that I write about other people's happiness together because I'm forever alone? Wow, never thought I'd see the day that I'd bemoan my single status on ****fan fiction. Interesting. Anyway, I REALLY HOPE YOU REVIEW!**


	26. Sick Day

Newspaper Clippings: Sick Day

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: This one's heavy, guys. Just a warning.**

Jane didn't go to work that day. Korsak authorized it as a sick day, but Maura knew that Jane would report to work about to vomit because "murderers won't care if I'm sick," she'd always insist. She tried to press him, but he clammed up the second she pushed. A dark look fell over his face, as if he was recalling a particularly unpleasant memory, when he asked her to not make an issue of it in the office.

The day passed by in a blur for Maura. She performed her autopsies just as well as usual, but her mind was otherwise occupied wondering and worrying about Jane. She _never_ called in sick.

When she went over to her apartment after work, Jane came to the door pretty quickly. She looked perfectly healthy, although a haunted look did cast a shadow over her dark eyes. "Hey," she murmured, dry-washing her hands. She rarely did that anymore. She tilted her head toward the living room and started walking. "Come on in."

"Jane, what's going on?" Maura asked immediately, the concern evident in her voice. "Korsak told me you called in sick, but you seem healthy."

Jane let herself fall back onto the couch and waited for Maura to take a seat next to her before she answered, still kneading away at her hands. "Today is...today's the third anniversary of the first time Hoyt tried to kill me," she confessed. Maura's eyes once again went to the fidgeting hands, and understanding bloomed on her face.

"Jane," she whispered, reaching out and taking those hands in her own. She rubbed each of the scars almost reverently. "He can't hurt you anymore."

"I know that." Jane had to close her eyes and take a steadying breath to force herself to continue. "I know that he's finally dead, and that he can't send anymore apprentices to try and finish what he started. But...he...he _broke_ me, Maura," she declared, long-suppressed fear seeping into the husky words. "He invaded my world in every way possible short of physically raping me, and he _broke_ me. I didn't eat or sleep or talk to anyone for a month after I got out of the hospital that first time. And on this day, three years ago..." She trailed off, but she didn't need to speak. Her shaking hands squeezing themselves into fists in Maura's grip told her what happened three years ago.

Maura knew about he not eating, sleeping or talking following the ordeal. She'd been there. But in every episode with Hoyt, she'd never heard that kind of despair in Jane's voice. She'd say in private that she was afraid, but it was just the one sentence, usually. Knowing Jane, she'd probably suppressed it while Hoyt was alive so that he wouldn't see how just how much he'd affected her. She never liked to admit when she was scared. But Hoyt was dead, and on this very dark day, Jane was finally letting herself feel all the ways Hoyt had violated her life.

Jane was trembling, her brown eyes glazing over as she flashed back again and again to all the ways that man had tormented her. Maura slowly released her hands and instead framed Jane's face to get her to focus on the present. "Jane, he didn't break you. He tore huge holes in you like he did your hands, but he did _not _break you. Those holes can heal; they _are_ healing. And he's dead, Jane. You made sure of that. You just have to remember that." Maura concluded her speech, looking desperately for any sign that she'd gotten through to her. Maybe she had, because Jane leaned forward and placed her lips on Maura's gently.

Pulling away just a few inches, Jane opened her eyes, which had started to clear a little bit. "Do you think you could stay for a while? I just...I think I just need you to hold me for a little."

Maura didn't even need to answer. She simply shifted on the couch so that she was laying down with Jane on top of her. She didn't care that this was the first time they'd ever been horizontal in their relationship. If Jane needed someone to hold her, then she'd hold her all night if she had to.

**A/N: I wrote two completely different versions of this Newspaper Clipping. The first was more along the lines of sexual frustration, which is fun. But it was also crap. So this happened. It's really heavy, I know. But I'm just _so much better_ at the heavy and it's _really annoying_. Anyway, I almost wasn't able to post this today because the evil storms decided to fry our modem. But my dad is FANTASTIC and fixed it. So you get today's Newspaper Clipping. Hopefully that means you'll REVIEW!**


	27. The Itch

Newspaper Clippings: The Itch

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Heh heh heh horny Jane. **

It wasn't all that hard to keep their relationship a secret. The whole precinct knew they were best friends, so they didn't think twice when they saw them together at work or in the cafe. One was a homicide detective and the other the chief medical examiner. Of _course_ they would be seen together at work.

The true beauty, though, of dating a woman who was also her best friend, Jane mused as she mixed her creamer into her coffee, was that, if anyone saw her getting dinner with Maura or squeezing her hand for support, nobody thought anything of it. Everybody dismissed it for the affectionate friendship it had once been. Sometimes Jane felt like chuckling under her breath when she thought about how they were able to hide their relationship in plain sight. But that would be weird.

There was a challenge to their ruse, however. Liquid brown eyes looked up in time to see a certain blonde medical examiner get off the elevator in search of her own caffeine boost. After two months of dating, of learning what it was like to kiss, cuddle, _feel_ another woman, it was getting harder and harder to satisfy...well, to satisfy the itch by herself. She knew that taking it slow was important, because they still had no idea what the hell they were doing. But it was still just so _frustrating_! When Maura stepped into the cafe and sidled up to her at the coffee pots, just the tiny amount of brushing of the shoulders was enough to get Jane to stand up a little straighter. She tried to concentrate on the sugar she was adding to her coffee.

She caught Maura's smirk from the corner of her eye and nudged her in retaliation. She had no right to smile like that. Not when she had Jane strung out on her hormones like she was. All the flirting, the touching, the smoldering looks...Jane almost wanted to send a glare in her girlfriend's direction. If they didn't at least start exploring below the waist soon, Jane was going to need another round at the shooting gallery._  
_

And she'd just come back from the gallery that morning.

**A/N: Last night's drabble was kind of written because I didn't want their relationship to be just oh-how-do-I-get-them-to-have-sex writing, you know? I wanted to show there was still emotional depth in their relationship, and since these are drabbles it's harder to see that sometimes. Anyway, about _this_ drabble, it**** isn't anything like the sexual frustration drabble I drafted last night. (Sorry, bvscagle!) But seriously, that one was _crap_. I like this one a lot better. It's fun being in Jane's head. **I hope you like this and so I really hope you REVIEW!


	28. Dancing Fever

Newspaper Clippings: Dancing Fever

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: After seeing Jason Sehorn's video of Angie dancing...well, I really couldn't help myself. And Sasha's got some moves, too, if YouTube is a dependable source! This pretty much has no purposeful plot advancement. It's just how Maura deals with her own sexual frustration, and it was far too fun to write. Don't know why I rated this fic as K+. Going to T...now.**

Giant speakers strategically placed around the room pumped a feverish beat that echoed throughout the entire club. A beaming smile graced Maura's face as she tugged Jane away from the bar and toward the music. The dance floor teemed with people getting lost in carnal sensations in time with the music. It looked positively delicious, and suddenly, she was extremely glad she'd dragged her girlfriend here. Girlfriend. Two months and that term still made her smile.

Speaking of which, Maura mused as she glanced behind her, Jane looked rather delicious herself. She wore a short, dark blue dress that Maura had all but forced her to buy. It had a deep v-neck and clung gloriously to Jane's frame, no matter how often she self-consciously tugged at the hem to cover more of her leg. The two drinks they'd each enjoyed had yet to lower Jane's inhibitions. Maura turned and caught Jane's free hand in hers before she could tug at her dress again, slowly walking backwards toward the dance floor. Her smile shifted into something infinitely more sensual and inviting, pleased when she saw Jane's eyes lock onto hers with an equal intensity floating in her dark eyes.

The heat rolled off the mass of writhing bodies, and the two minutes spent trying to find a small bubble of space in which to dance already had the both of them sweating. But it also had a way of driving them closer, heightening every breath and becoming hypersensitive to every touch from her dance partner. When they finally found their place and started to slowly get into the music, their eyes never left one another. The crowd closed in around them and steadily diminished the small amount of space between their bodies.

Maura's magenta dress also had quite a deep neckline, and when she saw Jane's gaze drop to her generous cleavage, her skin felt like it was on fire and at the same time made her feel like shivering. Jane didn't even have to touch her to get to her, and the smirk on her face said that she knew it. Her shyness was slowly being stripped away, and in its place was a challenge. Who could get the other to cave in first?

It was a challenge that Maura was very capable of meeting. The space between them was gone, and their fronts were plastered onto each other. Maura swept her fingers against the bare skin of Jane's leg while her other hand went to her waist and tugged her even closer as she moved against her. Her thumb started moving against the smooth skin in slow circles, inch by inch making their way to just underneath the dark blue material. Jane bit her lip and moved in even closer to Maura's body, as impossible as that seemed. She gave as good as she got, though, because while Maura was reasonably skilled at manipulating Jane's body to respond to certain touches, Jane had a secret weapon in her dancing. Soon she was panting into Jane's neck while Jane's body twisted and rubbed against her in the most tantalizing ways, all while Maura's hands stayed on her leg and waist.

Blonde curls started to wilt with the dampness in the air and stick to the back of her neck. It was uncomfortably hot, but it was like her hands were glued to the other woman's body. Besides, the _real_ heat was coiling in her lower abdomen, and the way Jane was making them move against each other was only serving to make the coiling more intense. She felt herself go on her tip toes, burying her face in Jane's neck, feeling the throbbing of her girlfriend's pulse against her cheek. The hand she had on Jane's leg inched upward, pushing the dress up with it, tugging her closer.

Maybe the dancing thing would have been a better idea to do _after_ they'd finally had sex. Because Maura was going to have to do some _major_ work on herself when she got home that night and _still_ have to take a cold shower afterwards. Her lower abdominal muscles contracted wickedly. Jane just wasn't even trying to play fair, and the torture was just sinful.

**A/N: Last night was horny Jane, so I present to you horny Maura! I know Jane seems a little more confident than usual, but the anonymity of being in a club surrounded by everybody having sex with clothes on is definitely enough of a push to get her to let out her fantastic dancing skills. Besides, after two months of dating and years of incredibly close friendship, I'm pretty sure she'd be comfortable enough with Maura to be a little naughty. I hope you enjoyed this, so PLEASE REVIEW!**


	29. Three Months

Newspaper Clippings: Three Months

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: Okay, so I really put off writing this, because it means that there's only one more until this is over. You guys took something that was supposed to just be a writing exercise to get me back in the swing of writing regularly, and you turned it into this big fantastic ride that I have absolutely adored taking with you all. I realize that the gushy stuff should wait until tomorrow night, but just so you know, I _really love you all_.**

Three months.

All in all, three months was not a very long time, but after years of being so close, three months felt like a lifetime. Jane looked up from her dinner at Maura, who was going on about the intricacies of growing apples in Massachusetts as she twirled some spaghetti around her fork. She couldn't keep the fondness out of her bemused smile while the doctor discussed the impacts of weather conditions and soil types on apple growth. Maura was a classically beautiful woman inside and out, with sparkling eyes, a warm smile and a caring heart, but the way she became so absorbed in learning everything she could about a topic was possibly the most beautiful part about her. She just approached everything she could in life with a passion.

Jane had known all this before she started dating Maura, but three months had changed that from a mildly endearing quality to one of the traits Jane treasured most. Maura had approached her burgeoning relationship with Jane the same way she did anything else she wished to do, with a burning desire to learn everything she could about Jane and what made her happy. Jane had never had that, and she hoped she was half as good at making Maura feel the way Maura made her feel. The way her hands ached less when Maura held them, the way her breathing hitched just from a look, the way her pulse picked up when Maura smiled at her...

"Jane?" Maura's voice interrupted her reverie. "You've been quiet for a while. Is everything okay?"

As had been the case for their first date, the words were out of her mouth before she even registered thinking them. "I think I'm in love with you." The second she said them, though, somehow her heart seemed to stop and race at the same time. What if it was too early? Jane had _never_ been one to take the first step in any part of their relationship thus far. What was she going to do if Maura didn't feel the same way just yet?

Maura's eyes were shiny as she reached forward and took both of Jane's hands into hers. Jane didn't think she'd ever seen such a radiant smile on her girlfriend's face. She quickly set Jane's heart back to pumping normally—albeit a little faster than usual—when she whispered, "I think I'm in love with you, too."

**A/N: Oh, my goodness, I almost drowned in sappiness. Obviously, this scene had to happen, but I just always think I'm too cheesy when I write scenes like this. Hopefully, you still liked it enough to drop me a ****REVIEW!**


	30. From This Moment On

Newspaper Clippings: From This Moment On

A **Rizzoli & Isles** drabble by Gigi

**A/N: My dear, dear readers, we've finally reached the end of Newspaper Clippings. You have all been so fantastic, and I honestly never once expected the response to a drabble challenge like this one received. This is the first time I've ever written about two women together, and honestly the thought of how to realistically write them was daunting. I just wanted you all to know how much I appreciate your input in my efforts to broaden my horizons as a writer. You guys have kept my summer from being so absolutely filled with science and stress that I wanted to scream. You kept that from happening with your beautiful reviews and your support; you gave me something to look forward to doing every night before I went to bed. Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoy this final installment of Newspaper Clippings.**

Neither of them remembered getting out of their seats, nor did they remember the act of approaching other. They simply treasured the feeling of each other's lips on theirs, their hands in each other's hair, the giggles that bubbled out of them both. They _loved_ each other. They finally said it to each other, and the giddiness, the rush of it all was just too much to contain.

Jane snaked her arms around the blonde's waist, pulling her flush against herself. Her fingers crept under Maura's flowered blouse and caressed the soft skin of her back. A shudder ran through the detective when Maura arched into her, hands going to tangle themselves in her raven curls and fighting to get closer to her. Intense waves of heat kept crashing over the pair, and it wasn't until the back of her legs bumped into the couch that Jane realized they had even been moving.

Breaking the kiss, black hair mixed with blonde as a panting Jane half-sat on the back of the couch and leant her forehead against her girlfriend's. Liquid brown met hazel and smiles bloomed on both their flushed faces. "I love you." Jane almost laughed in relief at the sound. Those three words were going to her head and making her feel dizzy, but she repeated the phrase in a whisper, "I love you."

Maura was beaming, and she punctuated every word with a soft peck. "I—_kiss_—love—_kiss_—you—_kiss—_too," she murmured against Jane's lips. They were grinning against each other's mouths, but soon the final kiss became enough to encourage Maura's hands to play with the buttons on Jane's shirt. The fingers on her back clenched into the muscle momentarily before they began to slide upwards, sending shivers cascading down her spine with every inch of her skin that was exposed to the air. Maura only took her lips away long enough to look into Jane's dark eyes and breathe, "Bedroom." In response, Jane raised her hands over Maura's head in one fluid motion, taking the silk blouse with it and tossing it onto the couch behind her. One hand went back to its original position wrapped around Maura's now bare waist and the other firmly pulled her face back towards hers for a searing kiss as she led her girlfriend into her bedroom.

The journey toward the bed was a halting one littered with discarded clothes. Soon detective and doctor stood next to the bed in just their underwear. Their kisses transformed from frantic to sensual, their touches no longer confident. They stopped to look at each other, to take in the enormity of the moment, just like they had before their first real kiss. This was it.

Maura stepped in and let her hands fall around Jane's waist, her thumbs rubbing the bronzed skin lightly. Without the interference of a shirt, she watched in fascination as Jane's abdominal muscles contracted and shuddered underneath her touch. Her gaze trailed upward, her hands following and fingering the lace on the detective's black bra. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss against Jane's sternum. When she heard the small hitch in the other woman's breathing, she slowly pressed butterfly kisses across her chest, memorizing the taste of her skin, gradually reaching the swell of her breast. She glanced up to see Jane's eyes closed, and only then did Maura notice the feeling of the tight grip on her shoulders.

When the sensation of Maura's mouth getting closer and closer to her breasts ceased, Jane opened one eye slowly, hoping the medical examiner wasn't having second thoughts. She just found a fond expression on her face as she straightened. Her hands dropped to take Jane's. "You ready for this?" Maura asked, her voice already a little huskier.

Jane sat down on the bed behind her, scooting backward and shifting until they both kneeled on the bed facing each other. "I'm ready if you are," she declared, not a trace of fear in her eyes. There was absolutely no going back from this moment on.

But they were both perfectly okay with that.

**A/N: Well, lovelies, that's the end of it. I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I have. ********It's been a pleasure, really.** **For this chapter, especially, I'd love some feedback, as this is the first time I've written anything close to a love scene. So p**lease review! 


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